Goldcore Resources Ltd (CVE:EM) (OTCMKTS:CZSVF) (FRA:BK2P) announced Friday that several tonnes of graphitic rock samples collected over the past four years from its drill and surface trenching programs are in transit to Base Metallurgical Laboratories Ltd.
The samples will be processed to produce about 1,000 kilograms (kg) of graphite concentrate to be used to produce battery anode material for the making of test batteries.
The company said Base Metallurgical will crush, float and clean the graphitic rock samples from Goldcore’s Berkwood Graphite project in Northern Quebec.
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Base Metallurgical is considered one of the leading industry experts in the field and it has extensive experience in the flotation concentration process.
Goldcore said the concentrate produced by Base Metallurgical will be sent to ProGraphite to purify to 99.95%, and to make spherical graphite and further to coat the graphite for application in the anode components of test batteries.
Goldcore noted that spheroidization of natural graphite is important in a battery as it increases the availability of conductive surface area that improves battery efficiency owing to increased graphite packing density in the anode, whilst coating the spherical graphite, slows oxidation of the graphite to extend the number of recharging cycles and the life of the battery.
“I am very pleased to have commenced shipping of our graphite to Base Metallurgical as it is a key step towards getting our graphite prepared for testing in lithium-ion batteries,” said Goldcore CEO Tom Yingling.
“It will also move us closer towards getting the 1,000kgs we need in order to commence shipping 15kg parcels of the company’s high-grade graphite to lithium-ion battery manufacturers and or other consumers of graphite, which is one of the key steps to potentially securing an offtake agreement.”
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